Caleb Wilson records 21 points, eight turnovers

After losses in his first two summer league games, Wilson got his first victory on Tuesday. The showdown between him and AJ Dybantsa never materialized, as the Wizards shut down the first overall pick, as well as Tre Johnson and Will Riley. Wilson knocked down two more three-pointers, and the perimeter shot that was his big weakness going into the draft has been an asset in Las Vegas. With the Bulls rebuilding and clearly viewing him as a key building block, one can make a case for Wilson being the first rookie off the board in drafts this fall.

While Caleb Wilson has been the toast of summer league, Chicago’s other 2026 first-round pick has struggled mightily in Las Vegas. Swain missed all nine of his field-goal attempts on Monday, including a few layups that failed to draw iron. The good news is that this is “only” summer league, but it would do wonders for Swain’s confidence if he could get going before the end of the week. The Bulls play again on Tuesday, and giving Wilson a day off could make Swain the offensive focal point.

After going off for 35 points in his summer league debut, Wilson was bound to slow down some. That’s precisely what happened, as the Bulls forward started slowly. However, he would do more than score against the Jazz, with the final stat line including two steals and five blocked shots. In fantasy basketball, defensive production can compensate for offensive struggles, so that was good to see from Wilson. The negative from his performance on Monday was the 0-of-6 night at the foul line. Wilson is now 2-of-12 from the charity stripe in Las Vegas, but this should not be a long-term concern for fantasy managers.

While Caleb Wilson put forth a historic performance in the Bulls’ summer opener, fellow first-round pick Swain struggled. Memphis’ perimeter defenders consistently got into the rookie’s body, making it challenging for Swain to handle the ball. The good news is that the inefficient shooting did not carry over into the ball control, as Swain committed just two turnovers. He’ll look to bounce back on Monday when the Bulls face the Jazz in their second game in Las Vegas.

What a night for Wilson, who set the franchise record for most points in a summer league debut. While there were some negatives, most notably the six turnovers, Wilson’s shot-making ability was highly impressive. He shot 7-of-11 from beyond the arc, including one as time expired. Given his perimeter shooting struggles during his lone season at North Carolina, it would be a game-changer for Wilson and the Bulls if he can consistently hit those shots once the games count.

After two seasons at Xavier, the 6-foot-7 Swain followed head coach Sean Miller to Texas for the 2025-26 campaign. In 36 games, he recorded 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.9 three-pointers, shooting 54.2 percent from the field and 81.5 percent from the foul line. While Swain did most of his scoring around the basket and in the mid-range, he did improve as a perimeter shooter, which bodes well for his future. He has good size for an NBA wing and can provide value as a secondary playmaker. New Bulls GM Bryson Graham said he wanted to add players that have size, length, athleticism and physicality. Swain and Caleb Wilson, who they added with the No. 4 pick, both fit that flawlessly. Swain has plenty of upside on both ends of the floor, but he also has a safe floor to be an impactful two-way player.

A late-season injury led to Wilson appearing in 24 games last season, but that did nothing to dissuade draft analysts from placing him among the top players in this draft class. Wilson averaged 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks, shooting 57.8 percent from the field and 71.3 percent from the foul line. He doesn’t bring much to the table as a three-point shooter; that’s an area where Wilson will need to improve to unlock his full potential. With the Wilson selection, the Bulls have taken another step toward rebuilding their frontcourt. The rookie will join Matas Buzelis and Nic Claxton, with the latter arriving via trade. With Josh Giddey running the show, Wilson’s athleticism and ability to run the floor should pay dividends early on as the Bulls rebuild.